When backyard chickens produce more eggs than a household can eat, that abundance can quickly become a use-it-or-lose-it situation.
One Kentucky homesteader is offering a practical fix to turn those extras into lemon curd using a tested canning method.
What happened?
In a YouTube video, Sage and Stone Homestead (@SageandStoneHomestead) focused on lemon curd as a way to preserve a surplus of eggs — with one caveat.
"You always hear you can't can dairy," the content creator says. "There actually is a little bit of dairy in this lemon curd recipe, and it's also thicker than I thought you could safely can things. But this is an approved recipe. I got it off the National Center for Home Food Preservation."
The National Center for Home Food Preservation offers research-based advice for safe and effective home food preservation.
The creator then takes viewers through her entire process, from cracking the eggs to securing the lemon curd in airtight containers to prevent bacterial growth or spoilage.
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Why does it matter?
Peak summer preserving season is already underway, and many homesteaders and gardeners are looking for practical ways to make the most of what they have on hand.
The biggest advantage is simple: less waste and more value from food already in the house. Whether you keep hens, buy eggs in bulk, or simply end up with a temporary surplus, a recipe like this can turn a highly perishable ingredient into something longer-lasting and more versatile.
It can also be a small budgeting win. Making lemon curd at home with eggs that need to be used can help you reduce waste while avoiding another pantry purchase.
As for the lemon curd itself, it is a ready-to-use ingredient for a wide variety of meals or snacks. It can be spread on toast, stirred into yogurt, layered into cakes, or used as a filling for pastries, meaning one preservation project can support several different dishes.
Extra eggs can also be used for quiches, baked goods, or freezer-friendly breakfast dishes.
What are people saying?
Viewers were enthusiastic about the recommendation and food safety tips.
"Have always wanted to try canning lemon curd," one commenter said. "Thank you."
"What a yummy way to use up some of our eggs!" another wrote.
"This brings back my childhood," a third added. "Lemon curd was always my favorite sandwich."
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